Final Destination
by georgiegirl14
Summary: He once heard that the eye's were the windows to the soul. In her's he finally finds peace. COMPLETE One shot


Some people will take this story one way and others another. Feel free to take it however you wish. Wrote and archived under my penname Loveatlast at The Road to Nowhere.

"It's time."

Jason rose from his cot and followed the uniformed man to the front of the jail cell. The guard produced a key and proceeded to remove the shackles from his arms and legs. It was a relief to Jason to know it would be the last time he ever wore them.

He rolled his shoulders and stepped on unsteady legs out into the concrete walkway. Today there were fifteen guards escorting him to his final destination, instead of the usual ten that guarded him daily. Any other time it would have amused him that they thought they would need this many to take one man down. But amusement was the last thing on his mind at the moment. He cut his eyes, one last time to the cell that had been his home for the last 6 months and noticed the older guard, Mitch, turn to look back at him. They held the glance for a moment longer than necessary, when Mitch finally looked away. Of all the officers that patrolled Jason's cell, Mitch was the only one he knew somewhat about his life. He knew of Mitch's kids and grandkids and wife, from the hours of his useless ramblings. Jason knew that the look Mitch gave him was one of remorse for what was happening, but he still had a job he had to do and no one understood that better than Jason Morgan.

It was men like Mitch that had prevented Jason from the escape plan that Sonny had formulated. Because while he knew he could get out, it would not be without the loss of dozens of men. Innocent men, who worked to support their families. For once Jason was not willing to make that sacrifice. No innocent would die in order for him to live. It didn't matter that in this one incident he was actually innocent of the crime he was convicted of. No, it didn't matter because in his mind he was lucky to have not been in this place before now for the many, many crimes he had actually committed. He belonged right were he was, regardless.

The large ensemble finally made it to the final security door. It surprised Jason to be standing there. He had imagined that the walk would have seemed forever instead of the few short minutes. The priest who stood a couple men behind him stepped up to his side and asked him one more time, in the hopes of saving his soul.

"Do you have any confessions?" The priest looked optimistic that Jason would allow him to hear his burdens. Only a man of God could be so hopeful in a time of death.

"No thank you, father."

The priest nodded slowly and patted Jason's forearm a couple of times. With a slight catch in his voice he offered Jason one last blessing, "Go with God, my son." before turning to walk back to his place in line.

The guards had finally finished confirming the security codes and red tape that barred the room from his view and he was allowed to walk into the oppressive 12' x 12' room. Only four guards and the priest followed him in and Jason was thankful that Mitch was among them.

He knew that others would be allowed to observe, but he could not hide his shock at seeing, thru the thick soundproof glass, the number of people he would see. He knew beforehand that Diane would not be present. She was currently staking out the judges home in the late evening, determined to win him a stay of execution. He couldn't help the small flicker of hope that the phone would ring within these walls with the evidence of her success.

He examined the outer room and the large, unlikely group of people. Monica and Edward sat in the first roll of seats. Edward was holding her upright it appeared and while Jason couldn't hear, he could only imagine the heartbreaking sounds of Monica's sobs. Next to them was Carly and Jax. Carly's cries, he was sure where every bit as loud as Monica's and just as painful to see. Jax tried and failed several times to bring her into the comfort of his embrace and several times she swatted his hands away. Jason knew why she was fighting against him and the comfort he offered. But that was Carly, a fighter until the very end.

Sonny stood to the side, his head down and seemingly to be looking intently at his shoes. That did not surprise Jason. He knew that Sonny was blaming himself and for once he didn't completely disagree. Regardless though of what had happened to them, Jason did wish to tell Sonny he wasn't to blame. The role Sonny had played as his friend, brother, or enemy, no longer mattered. The line once was blurred years ago, was now perfectly clear to him. Jason could finally acknowledge that while it had never been the same lately, he still loved the man that he once was. The man that believed in him and for Jason that was enough.

The room filled out with various faces. Some he gave little to no thought to. He barely registered that Lucky, Sam, and Nicholas were there. Nicholas, no doubt in honor of Emily. Patrick and Robin were also in attendance. Robin held his eyes for a brief second and she even managed a small fleeting smile before burying her face in Patrick's shoulder. Ric stood behind him and Jason figured that he was beyond joy at what he was about to witness. He noticed the lack of emotion upon Ric's face and proceeded to bring his attention elsewhere. He held no acknowledgment of Ric before and he wasn't going to start then.

Spinelli and Maxie were further back to the left of the room. Maxie was running a hand in soothing strokes down Spinelli's back. He sat with his back straight in the chair and his hands clinched tightly in his lap. He attempted a strong front and it would have been believable if not for the tears silently streaming down his cheeks. Maxie turned away from Spinelli and nodded at Jason. He knew what that meant. She would look after the little computer geek now and for the first time in days, Jason allowed himself a small smile of appreciation towards her.

While he spent this time scanning the faces of his loved one and enemy's alike he barely noticed as they strapped his body to the small gurney. He never flinched as the catheter was placed in his arm. His only thought was to the small woman standing nearest the exiting door. She had come from work, which was obvious from the pink scrubs she wore. Her hair was pulled into a messy ponytail and her face void of any make up.

He searched her eyes and the affect tore at his very soul. They were filled with unshed tears and the skin underneath was a dark purple from what he guessed was lack of sleep and yet, Jason was sure that she never looked more beautiful.

He had begged, pleaded and finally demanded that she not come. He had said it in a harsh tone and with even uglier words, that she wasn't wanted there. It pained him terribly to lie to her but he didn't want her to have to go through any of this. And so he had hoped she would listen even though knowing that she would come anyway. If he had been honest with himself, hers was the only face he needed to see here. In her eyes he was able to let go of the pain, anger and overwhelming disappointment that he had been living with for the last six months. In its place was a deep calm and an amazing feeling of love. If this is what his life had come too, he realized, he was a luckier man than anyone would have thought. It was because he had gotten the chance, however fleeting, to love Elizabeth and he would have gladly suffered a million deaths in order to do so.

She stood brave and proud at the back of the room, the only underlying weakness other than the unshed tears, was the protective way she held her arms around her middle. She was trying to be strong for him, he knew and he refused to use the last of his life thinking about how she would break the moment it was over. Instead he used those remaining minutes to stare at her beautiful face and remember the most wonderful moments of his life with her.

The seconds flew by and every face turned to the clock on the white wall, except for Jason and Elizabeth. Neither noticed as the nurse placed the syringe at the tip of the catheter or as Monica crumbled to the floor from her seat. Neither heard Sonny yelling from the side as a guard restrained him or Carly pounding her fists into Jax's shoulders, with the word "NO" hauntingly ripped from her chest. It was lost to them when Spinelli bound from his chair and ran from the room. No, the final seconds were all theirs. Elizabeth blew out a shaky breathe and as the first tears fell, she mouthed the words "I love you" to him. Just as Jason spoke the words out loud in return, the clock struck midnight.

It was time.


End file.
